bates



H. BATES.

MEMORY CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED MAR-2.1918.

1,385,656, Patented July 26, 1921.

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MEMORY CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED ma. 2, 1918.

1385,6565. Patented July 2 21.

3 SHEETS-S gmentoz HARRY BATE5 attain H. BATES.

MEMORY CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 2, 1918.

Patented July 26, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HARRY BATES attozwaw PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BATES, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEMORY-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26', 1921.

Application filed Mareh'2, 1918. Serial No. 220,098.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HARRY BATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Memory- Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to time-controlled, electrically-operated annunciators having a series of electric circuits closed, at regular intervals, in the movement of a clock, these circuits having, also, a set of auxiliary switches, whereby, when the circuit is closed in the movement of the clock, the alarm will be operated, if the corresponding auxiliary switch has been previously closed.

The object of the invention is, generally, to simplify and otherwise improve the construction of such an apparatus; to provide improved auxiliary switches, which are operated from the front of the casing containing the operative parts of the apparatus; and to provide, in connection with such an apparatus,qan improved form of card-memoranda system, so that the user of my, memograph or reminder clock may associate a signal, as given, with the appropriate card from which the data or memoranda. relating to theappointment, or the like, is obtained.

The invention is graphically illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference-characterso denote corresponding parts throughout the several views. The different figures or views of the drawings may be briefly described as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of my reminder clock; T

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view of the memoranda-trayi; i

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the reminder clock, the rear plate of the casing being removed to show the interior mecha nism; I I

Fig. 4 is a central, vertical, transverse view; p

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 5-5, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of, the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Referring, now, in detail, to the drawings:

1 designates a casing, of any desired ornamental design, adapted to inelose a clock 2 (of ordinary construction), and provided, in its front wall, with, a circular aperture 3, through which the clock dial 4 is visible, and with a second aperture 5 for the reception of an electric lamp or bulb 6.

At the bottom, the casing 1 is expanded, at the sides and front, into a base 7 v At the front of the base and disposed above the bottom thereof and parallel therewith is a panel, constituting a support for a prefer-- ably removable memoranda-tray, which may be variously constructed, but which, in this instance, comprises a bottom 9, a rear wall 10 bearing flatly against the front wall of the casing 1, end walls 11, 11 bearing flatly against the end walls of the base 7, and a series of spaced, vertical plates 12, dividing the tray into a plurality of memorandacompartments, in this instance twenty-four in number, one compartment for each half hour throughout a period of twelve hours. The compartments are suitably indexed, and, in this instance, such identification may be arranged on the front edge of the bottom 9 of the tray, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 12, 12.30, 1, 1.30, etc.

For the sake of cheapness, the casing 1, the tray, and the tray supporting panel 8 are preferably of wood. The casing 1 is provided with a removable rear wall 13, which, of course, is suitably apertured, as at 13, for the insertion of a winding-key to wind the clock 2.

Disposed beneath the memoranda-tray is a series of auxiliary switches 14, one thereof being provided beneath each of the compartments of the tray. Advantageously, the for-- ward ends, only, of these switches project be ond the casing, which arrangement results, in a more sightly appearance, and these forward ends are provided with porcelain caps 21, constituting insulated handles. Each of these auxiliary switches is of the knifeswitch type, and is pivoted, intermediate its length, as at 15, on a. metallic bracket 16, which is an ear bent up from a base 17 screwed, as at 18, 18, to an insulating strip 9 extending longitudinally of the base 9 of the casing 1. The several supporting brackets 16 for the auxiliary switches are electrically connected, and a conductor 20 connects one of said brackets 16 with one pole of a battery 19 (as shown in Figs. 4: and 6), one

of the screws 18 constituting a binding-post for the terminal of the electrical conductor 20.

In the path of movement of the toe of each knife-switch 14 is a pair of spring contacts 2 carried by a metallic piece 23 screwed to the panel 8. lVhen the knifeswitch 1 L is moved by forcing downward the handle 21, the toe of the switch moves upward into contact with the spring-contacts :22 and is forced between them and is frictionally retained thereby Supported in rear of the spaced therefrom is a disk 28, of insulating material. Conveniently, posts 30 extending rearward from the front supporting plate 32 of the clock 2 have reduced, threaded, rear ends, which project through the disk 28, and carry nuts 31, which clamp the disk on the posts; whereby the disk is supported concentrically with relation to the clockdial e.

The disk 28 carries a plurality of fixed contacts 27, disposed in a circular series, the circle being concentric with the clock-dial 4;. These contacts are, with relation to the clock-dial, spaced thirty minutes apart, and are in number equal to the auxiliary switches 14-. These contacts 27 are individually connected, by electrical conductors Ql, to the related contacts 22 of the secondary circuit-controllers ll.

Fixedly carri d by the rotating arbor 37 of the hour-hand oi' the clock is an arm 36, of insulating material. Secured, as at to said arm is a metallic strip 3 L, of spring material, extending longitudinally of the arm, and provided, at its free end, with a bent terminal 33, constituting a brush to wipe the fixed contacts 27 in the rotation of the hour-hand. This circuit-closer 34:, also, is provided with a bent finger 38, constituting a brush wiping against a metallic ring 39 carried by the disk 28 and concentric therewith. The metallic ring 39 is connected, by an electric conductor 1, with the pivot 42 of a switch l disposed exteriorly oi the casing l.

T he switch a9 is movable between, and is adapted to contact with either one of, two contacts l7, l8, constituting the terminals, respectively, of branches 4% and s5 of the conductor l3 leading to one of the poles of the battery 19. The branch includes a buzzer 46, or other form of audible alarm, and the branch l5 includes the light or lamp Thus, either the lamp or the buzzer may be switched into circuit, and the other out out.

In operation, suppose the user of the reminder-clock desires to be reminded of e11- olock 2 and gagements, etc., at, say, 3 oclock and 5.30 oclock. He places a card A, bearing the memorandum concerning the 3 oclock engagement in the compartment of the memoranda-tray marked 3, and another card bearing data concerning the 5.30 oclock engagement in the compartment of the niemoranda-tray marked 5.30, and pushes downward on the handles 21 of the auxiliary switches 14 corresponding or related to 0., disposed beneath) the three oclock and five-thirty oclock compartments of the memoranda-tray. Consequently, the circuits will be closed when the circuit controller 3% contacts with the contacts 27 related to the switches 14 which have been previously closed, as stated, and the alarm is sounded, or the lamp 6 lit (according to whether the switch 49 has been thrown to cut in the alarm 46 or the lamp 6), when the hands of the clock 2 indicate three and five oclock, respectively.

It will be seen that the different parts form a unitary, self-contained, portable meinoranduin-clock, that may be manufactured at a reasonable cost and sold as an article of manufacture.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In an annunciator clock, a clock mechanism provided with a central hand driving shaft, an arm of insulating material 1nounted upon said shaft, an annular conductor surrounding said shaft and insulated therefrom, a plurality of binding posts parallel with said shaft and spaced concentric with said shaft at the end of said arm and provided with pointed ends toward said arm and means for longitudinally adjusting said posts, a spring bridge wiping said annular conductor and afiixed to said arm at substantially a third the radial distance to said posts, the bridge having a radial spring extending from said ailixing point, the extension brushing said points on said posts.

2. In an annunciator clock, a plurality of balanced longitudinally extending co-axial bridge levers, insulated handles upon one end of said levers, a housing covering said lovers with the handles protruding beyond the housing, relatively insulated contact points mounted above said levers at the end opposed to said handle, a clock mechanism provided with a rotating bridge, and means whereby a circuit is formed by said rotating bridge when at a position determined by downward pressure upon one of said levers.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

HARRY BATES. 

